Céline Dion Shares Photo With Her 3 Sons During Rare Outing Amid Health Battle
Céline Dion is sharing an inspirational message as she finds comfort in the power of love amid her medical struggles. The Grammy winner made her comments alongside a rare photo of herself with her and late husband René Angélil’s sons René-Charles, 23, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13, on March 15, International Stiff-Person Syndrome Awareness Day.
Dion, who has not performed a concert in almost four years and canceled a world tour due to her health battle, wrote on Instagram, “As many of you know, in the fall of 2022, I was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS). Trying to overcome this autoimmune disorder has been one of the hardest experiences of my life, but I remain determined to one day get back onto the stage and to live as normal of a life as possible. I am deeply grateful for the love and support from my kids, family, team and all of you!”
The “Power of Love” singer, who appears in the photo with her sons at the K1 Speed go-kart race track in Las Vegas, continued, “I want to send my encouragement and support to all those around the world that have been affected by SPS. I want you to know you can do it! We can do it!”
In addition to stepping away from touring, the 55-year-old, who previously performed at Las Vegas residencies on and off for more than 10 years, has largely kept out of the spotlight since revealing in December 2022 that she is battling stiff-person syndrome, a rare disease that causes muscle spasms.
She was most recently spotted out and about in New York City earlier this month, giving a thumbs up to photographers. Last October, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer stepped out with her three sons at a Montreal Canadiens hockey game in Las Vegas, marking her first major public outing since sharing her stiff-person-syndrome diagnosis. The Canadian-born singer later shared Instagram pics of the four meeting players in their locker room. And in February, Dion’s kids joined her again for another hockey game in Las Vegas, this time played by the Edmonton Oilers, who they also met.
Also in February, Dion made a surprise appearance at the 2024 Grammys, marking her first time on a public stage since she stopped touring in 2020. René-Charles escorted his mom, where she was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd.
“Thank you all,” the “That’s the Way It Is” singer said in response, growing emotional. “I love you right back. When I say that I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart.”
Look back at Dion’s heartwarming photos with her family over the years:
Rene-Charles Angelil helped present his mom Céline Dion with the Icon Award at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas.
The pair posed for photos with the singer’s award in May 2016.
“May this holiday season bring all of you the gifts of love, peace, good health,” Celine wrote on Instagram in Dec. 2020 alongside a photo with Rene-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy, “and the promise of brighter days in the New Year ahead!”
“Who’s having the best day today, me or the kids?” she captioned this group Instagram photo in May 2021. “What a privilege it is to be a mom! Happy Mother’s Day! Enjoy every moment…Can it get any better than that? To be continued All my love, Celine xx…”
The following year, the Grammy winner shared a new photo with her and late husband René Angélil’s three sons.
“My boys and I had such a fun time visiting with the Montreal Canadiens after their hockey game with Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas Monday night,” she wrote on Instagram Nov. 1, 2023. “They played so well, what a game!! Thank you for meeting us after the game, guys! That was memorable for all of us. Have a great season! – Celine xx.”
She hugged her husband Rene and son Rene-Charles after the end of her Las Vegas show “A New Day” at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2007.
The threesome smiled at the Happiest Place on Earth during a Disneyland trip in 2007.
Celine waved to the crowd during a 2011 moment in Las Vegas after the arrival of their twins.
In 2001, when their eldest son was 6 months old, the couple visited Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, Quebec.
Céline Dion made a rare public appearance earlier this week in support of her hometown hockey team. Much to fans’ excitement, she brought her three sons along with her. The “Queen of Power Ballads” hasn’t been spotted in public much since announcing her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis in late 2022. However, she surprised fans in February when she stepped onstage at the 2024 Grammy Awards to present a trophy to Taylor Swift, and a few weeks later she was spotted chatting with hockey players in a locker room clip later shared on social media.
On Friday, June 28, Dion made another hockey-related appearance when she showed up at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Nev., to announce the Montreal Canadiens’ fifth draft pick. The team’s general manager, Kent Hughes, introduced Dion, 56, to the stage as the team’s “No. 1 fan.” She walked up to the microphone with her oldest son, René-Charles, to the sound of cheers and applause from the audience. She kept a firm grip on her 23-year-old’s hand as they navigated around tables and made their way up a set of stairs to the stage. Her son then stepped to the side as she prepared to make the announcement.
“Good evening everyone. I’m excited. I’m not even a hockey mom,” the “My Heart Will Go On” singer admitted with a laugh before getting down to business. “For the fifth overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Montreal Canadiens are proud to select Ivan Demidov.” A video clip that the NHL later shared on YouTube showed the Russian hockey player embracing people in the crowd around him as he celebrated the news.
In an Instagram post the next day, Dion revealed that all three of her sons had been with her to watch the 2024 NHL Draft in person. The four-part post included three photos of Dion posing with Demidov and others after she announced the team’s pick. The final photo included in her post was of Dion with René-Charles and her 13-year-old twins, Nelson and Eddy, all of whom she shares with her late husband, René Angélil. The “Power of Love” singer congratulated Demidov in her caption and noted that she and her sons “had a lot of fun!”
Several fans left comments expressing their excitement at seeing the singer at this year’s NHL Draft.
“Wonderful! Love to see you enjoying these moments with your sons!” one fan wrote.
“Great photos and an amazing experience for you and the family. ❤,” another fan agreed.
“I was there and this was the biggest surprise ever for we the hockey fans!!!!! 😍😍❤️❤️👏👏👏👏👏,” one person noted.
“Love seeing this Happy Healthy Whole family portrait! ❤️,” another Instagram user said.
Celine Dion and her children kicked off the start of hockey season with a family outing. The 55-year-old “My Heart Will Go On” singer, who was diagnosed with the rare neurological disorder stiff person syndrome in December 2022, attended an NHL game at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Monday night.
Dion documented the special family moment in a heartwarming Instagram post. The post featured a rare collection of group photos with her three sons. “They played so well, what a game,” expressed Dion in the post’s caption, “Thank you for meeting us after the game, guys! That was memorable for all of us. Have a great season!”
In the shared photos, Céline Dion was seen alongside her 22-year-old son René-Charles, as well as her 13-year-old twins, Eddy and Nelson, as they enjoyed a visit with the Canadiens after the thrilling game. The Montreal Canadiens also joined in the celebration, leaving a sweet comment on the post, “Thank you for the beautiful moment, Celine! 🫶.”
Celine’s stiff person syndrome diagnosis forced her to cancel various concerts and ultimately led to the discontinuation of her Courage World Tour, which she last performed in March 2020. Stiff person syndrome is a “rare, progressive neurological disorder” that can cause stiff muscles in the torso, arms, and legs, according to the National Institutes of Health.
In August, Celine’s sister, Claudette Dion, publicly shared her sister’s ongoing struggle with the ailment. Despite working with “the top researchers in the field” and trying various treatments, Claudette acknowledged the lack of a definitive cure. She expressed her support for Celine’s decision to cancel her tour, emphasizing the importance of listening to one’s body and taking the necessary time to rest.
Claudette highlighted the debilitating nature of stiff person syndrome, describing the constant muscle spasms and the inability to control them. She likened the experience to the sudden leg cramps that jolt people awake at night, but in Celine’s case, it affects all muscles.
Since Celine’s diagnosis, her sister, Linda Dion, has moved into her Las Vegas home to provide care and support during her challenging journey.
Source: E! Online
